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Accuracy vs. Precision

 

Accuracy is the degree of veracity while precision is the degree of reproducibility.

Dart analogy-Accuracy describes how close to the bulls eye. When all darts are grouped tightly together, the cluster is considered precise since they all struck close to the same spot, if not necessarily near the bulls eye.

So how does accuracy and precision relate to chemistry?

 If you instrument you are measuring with has a flaw or is not calibrated correctly, it is not going to be accurate. You can get the same results over and over again, but they are off. Precise, but not accurate.

However if you or your lab partner are the problem, the instrument can be amazingly accurate, but the precision will be off because of the person measuring. Neither accurate nor precise.

 

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